


Lone Star

by RottingManifesto



Category: TW: f slur used, That was Then This is Now - S. E. Hinton
Genre: Gen, One Shot, mild violence, that was then this is now, this was inspired by a band
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:34:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25403950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RottingManifesto/pseuds/RottingManifesto
Summary: Bryon’s life isn’t going well. Then Mark shows up.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Lone Star

**Author's Note:**

> This is a one-shot, so don’t expect anything else from this. If you like this, please go support my main fanfiction, Quarter Past Four.

Lone Star

* * *

Goodbye future.   
  


If you had told me back when I was 16 that Mark would be in jail and I would be working some dead-end job for three years, I’d laugh at you. Funny how things change. 

Angel’s missing. She’s been missing since October. Not that I care, though. She’s the only Shepard still alive. Allegedly.   
  


Why the hell am I even writing this? I don’t know. It just makes me feel less empty.   
  


Hello Hell.   
  


xx

Got a girlfriend now. She’s cute enough. Never really dug blondes though. She really likes the news, won’t ever shut up about it. She wants to be a news anchor. She’d make a good one.   
  


She keeps nagging me about my past. Then again— she’s from a well-off family in Texas. She’s not used to the Tulsa life. Just make some glad that all those gangs and Soc/greaser shit is over and done. 

  
xx

Three months in and she’s pregnant. Pregnant.   
  


Now what? Do I leave? Do I stay? God Himself knows that I can barely make end’s meet as it is. But now there’s a kid in the picture.   
  


I can imagine myself throwing everything I own in a suitcase and fleeing. But what’s the point? What’s the fucking point?   
  


God, do you hear me? Because you haven’t for years and I’m at my wit’s end.  
  


xx

  
My girlfriend is really into praying. Like, every day, no stopping. What’s she’s praying about is beyond me. I just pray that I don’t lose my sanity.   
  


She asked me something a while back, when we first started dating.   
  


“Do you believe in God?”  
  


”Sure.” It didn’t matter then if I was lying or not.   
  


“Good.” And that was that. I didn’t think she’d take it this far. Too bad I can’t rewind time.  
  


xx  
  


These days remind me of that strange limbo after the time Mark was arrested. I was empty. Cathy left me for Curtis. My mom got cancer. I was alone.   
  


At my mom’s funeral, a few old pals came. Curtis told me he knew what it was like, being empty. After his pals died, he felt the same. But his didn’t last for years. He was a kid. And I was a playboy asshole. Maybe I still am.

Fuck. I need a drink.  
  


xx  
  


I go to the bar pretty much every day now. It’s not anything like Charlie’s had been. But then again— everything is better when you’re a kid.  
  


This guy keeps staring at me. Maybe he’s drunk. Maybe he’s a fag. It’s creepy. But who the fuck cares anyway.  
  


xx

I see that guy again. And again. Almost every time I’m there, he’s there too. It goes on for three or four days. He looks familiar. I probably dated his sister or something and that’s why he keeps looking at me.   
  
He looks like a caged lion. And he’s about to break free.  
  


xx  
  


”Bryon. Old pal. How’s life?” The guy takes the stool next to me.   
  


“Good.” I don’t recognize him.   
  


“Been a while, huh? You an’ Carlson still together?”  
  


Cathy. She didn’t have any older brothers. Maybe it’s a so-called “friend” from high school.   
  


“We broke up a long time ago.” She’s a teacher at a neighboring town. That’s about all I know.   
  


“Huh. Figures.” The bartender takes his order— two shots of vodka. “Let’s call this my little reunion gift to you. I’ll pay.”  
  


I won’t pass up a few free drinks. “Thanks, man.”

xx

The night went by quick. The guy and I just talked like old pals. He really knew me back then. But I still didn’t remember him. I thought it could’ve been one of Mark’s buddies.

He was slouching some as we walked out. We were both pretty drunk. Not enough to not walk, but enough for next morning’s hangover to be a pain.  
  


“Have you heard the news?”

”No.” My ex would know. I thought of calling her. Because I was drunk and dumb.

”Mark Jennings broke outta jail. He killed a few guys.” The guy sounded sober, happy. I should’ve run. I should’ve...

”Really?” I didn’t think he’d be capable of murder. But Mark did a lot of shit I didn’t think he would. Like selling drugs to kids.   
  


“Yeah. Figured you would want to know.”

”Why?” I didn’t even notice that the guy led me to a secluded area right in the middle of the city. It used to be greaser territory. Charlie’s old bar was right around the corner.   
  


“Don’t know. Thought maybe he’d want vengeance.”   
  


  
Things started clicking. Angela Shepard knew that I was the reason Mark went to jail. She may have blabbered. But no one ever asked me. So either Angel did tell everyone, or this guy knew. And even drunk me knew that was bad.

“Oh God.”   
  


The guy gave me that shit-eating grin Mark always used to have before doing something stupid. “You never were religious. I remember your mom always tried to get you to go to church with her.”  
  


Silence. My drunk mind was trying to process his words. He put a gun to my face, cold metal against hot skin.   
  


Mark Jennings looked me dead in the eye. “Hey Bryon, do you believe in God?” He didn’t wait for a response. “Get on your knees and pray that God lets you into Heaven.”   
  


And that’s what I did. I prayed that God would let me into Heaven.   
  


Bang. 

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I know— cliffhangers suck. But I’m too sick (cold) to really care.  
> Thank you for reading! Comments are always appreciated and welcome.


End file.
